SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM

Substance Abuse Program

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The Roanoke City Adult Detention Center is one of the few facilities in this part of the country to provide medical services accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Services and American Correctional Association. The detention center’s medical section is ultimately responsible for resident health care within the facility. Mediko Correctional Healthcare has procedures in place to deal with those individuals with needs for detoxification, drug withdrawal or other medical services relating to substance abuse.

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Resident Requests

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At several points during incarceration, the resident has an opportunity to indicate the need for substance abuse services: at intake during incarceration, during the classification interview prior to being assigned to the main housing area of the detention center, during the medical health assessment and at any point as the result of a resident request. All resident requests and medical referrals for substance abuse services are received by the Program Manager who screens each request to determine the appropriateness for placement in available programs.

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Therapeutic Housing (Alpha Program)

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To enhance the detention center’s substance abuse services, there are 2 therapeutic housing areas operated within the detention center (1 male and 1 female). The therapeutic living area provides a 120-day program of intensive treatment during incarceration under the supervision of trained mental health professionals. For most of the unit's participants, it is their first treatment experience after a long history of addiction. The Therapeutic Housing Areas were initiated under the guidance of Sheriff Alvin Hudson with the assistance of Blue Ridge Community Services (now Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare). The unit was named "Alpha" by the first 12 residents who began the treatment program. The therapeutic operation of the unit is provided by qualified counselors from Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare and other community volunteers, without cost or obligation to taxpayers.